The Groveland Four case was a 1940s example of injustice toward young African American men falsely accused of raping white women. The Groveland Four were four young black men, Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin, who were accused of raping Norma Padgett, … Read MoreThe Groveland Four (1949)
Andy Lopez was born on June 2, 2000, and was shot and killed by a police officer in 2013 at the age of thirteen in Santa Rosa, California. At approximately 3:00 p.m. on October 22, 2013, Lopez left his home in Santa Rosa, California. Family members … Read MoreAndy Lopez (2000-2013)
Carlos Alcis was a 43-year-old father of eight, who was scared to death, and suffered an apparent heart attack when police forced their way into his Brooklyn, New York home, searching for a robbery suspect. Carlos Alcis was born in Haiti, and emigrated to the United States in 2000 in … Read MoreCarlos Alcis (1970-2013)
On December 20, 2011, police officer Jason Stockley shot and killed Anthony Lamar Smith after a short police chase that sparked protests, brought increasing attention to the issue of police brutality, and eventually led to the Black Lives Matter movement founded in 2013. Anthony Lamar Smith was born on … Read MoreAnthony Lamar Smith (1987-2011)
Michelle Denise Bernard is the President and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics, and Public Policy. Born on July 30, 1963 in Washington D.C., she is a graduate of Howard University, earning a BA in Philosophy and a minor in Political Science, and the Georgetown University Law Center, earning … Read MoreMichelle D. Bernard (1963- )
The tragic death of Natasha McKenna helped propel the Black Lives Matter Movement, which was founded in 2013, to address issues of individual treatment while in police custody and the tactics used to address citizens who suffered from mental health issues. Natasha McKenna was born on January 9, … Read MoreNatasha McKenna (1978-2015)
Due to his dedication to battling social injustices and racism throughout the United States, DeRay Mckesson has emerged as a key 21st century civil rights activist and educator. His documentation of the protests in Ferguson, Missouri following the unjust murder of Michael Brown in 2014 solidified his role as a leader in the national Black Lives … Read MoreDeRay Mckesson (1985- )
India Arie is a four-time Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. She has sold over 10 million records worldwide. Arie was born in Denver, Colorado on October 3, 1975 to parents Joyce and Ralph Simpson. When she was 13, her parents divorced and Arie moved with her … Read MoreIndia Arie/India Arie Simpson (1975- )
The Ferguson Unrest and Ferguson Riots were a series of several riots and protest triggered by the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African American, in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, U.S. by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, on August 9th, 2014. Exact details on the incident remain uncertain … Read MoreFerguson Riot and Ferguson Unrest (2014-2015)
Charleena Lyles was 30 years old and a mother of four who was shot and killedby Seattle Police on June 18, 2017. Lyles was raised in Seattle, Washington. She had a rather difficult childhood as she grew up around drugs and her mother passed away when she was just … Read MoreCharleena Lyles (1987-2017)
